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OBSERVER SPORT PDH fete P. 6 World Championships www.spec.com.au MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2018 $1.60 inc GST Top dog ALFIE the Afghan Hound stole hearts on Saturday after he brushed up beautifully thanks to the help of grooming from supporters such as Garvoc’s Pam Harrison (pictured). Alfie was an entrant in the weekend’s Portland and Casterton Kennel Club’s Confirmation Shows, which were held on both Saturday and Sunday. More pictures PAGE 8. Picture: ELLY HATELEY 181117EH21 CHALPAT SONTI Housing a key local election issue THE lack of access to housing is shaping as a major election issue for Glenelg Shire community leaders. While the economy, roads, and filling skill shortages are as important as ever, finding where to put both those looking to live here and those already here struggling to find a home should be more of a concern for election candidates, according to those community leaders surveyed by the Portland Observer. And the issue has resounded across the board, not just with welfare groups. As has previously been reported in the Observer, Portland’s housing crisis stems from a desperate shortage of rental properties, with a boom in house sales to owner-occupiers seeing fewer homes on the rental market. Real estate agents have reported vacancy rates of less than one per cent, or one in every 100 rental properties being available for rent. Porthaul managing director Brian Williamson has been a vocal advocate for fixing roads and skill shortages as well, but he had an even higher priority – where to put the people needed to move to Portland to fill the many job vacancies, with the dire shortage of rental properties. “It’s not just us (Porthaul), it’s across the board, it’s a great concern,” he said. “It’s all caught us up and the problem’s still there. “We need drivers, everybody needs people, but how to fix the (accommodation) problem, it’s a complex one. “Where do you put them when they get here? There’s talk about more training, but that’s no use if there’s nobody to train because they won’t move here since there’s nowhere for them to live.” Salvation Army Lieutenant Peter Stamp said it was a “continuing struggle” to find homes for those who needed it. “It’s short and long-term housing, especially in Portland,” he said. “It’s just one of those places people come and get stuck and it’s a really hard place to be in that situation.” South West Trades and Labour Council secretary Margaret Donehue has gone outside the box for some housing solutions and said some creative solutions were needed to fix our more pressing problems. She submitted a possible solution through the government’s Pick My Project initiative earlier this year where she advocated for retail buildings to be converted into accommodation. There also needed to be creative solutions for landlords. “They are concerned about their properties being damaged and rent not being paid,” she said. “Those sorts of things need to be addressed much quicker because the existing legal system takes forever and they’re not getting an income.” Ms Donehue also pointed to the need to think outside the box in other areas. “There’s also issues around welfare and while that’s a federal thing, we have so many people on WorkCover and trying to get back to work,” she said. “There needs to be more support in real terms, not just say subsidised childcare that’s only going to be available between 8am and 6pm, and a lot of our existing services need to be provided in a more creative and individualised way. Continued: PAGE 2